Moulin de Haut de Bellefontaine

About

This site on the Diélette river has been occupied by a mill since the 12th century. The current mill building and mechanisms date from the mid-18th century and have not been modified since. It has retained all its wooden mechanisms. 3 pairs of millstones are driven by 2 wooden wheels. A group of volunteers have been working tirelessly for years to restore the building and mechanisms to their original state. Subsidies from the local authorities have enabled us to install a new framework, fashioned by students at the Lycée Professionnel E.Doucet in Equeurdreville, and to clad the building in shale stone. This will make it one of the few surviving mills in the Nord Cotentin region, as it was in operation in the 18th century. On the other side of the river are the remains of an older mill, dating from the 16th century. All the remaining masonry has been "crystallized" to show the layout of successive mills and the evolution of our ancestors' skills. Today, the building has been completely restored, as has the millstone mechanism. A 2nd wheel was installed last year, and volunteers have been busy restoring the barley and buckwheat millstones, as well as their clutches and disengages.

From the tourism feed, updated 6 Nov 2026 by Attitude Manche. Rules can differ by commune, so check the signs on site.